As much as the media likes to wring its hands about vicious anonymous Internet sports fans contributing to the downfall of Western civilization with their uncouth attacks on the media, rivals, coaches, athletic directors, and the NCAA, the truth is that fans have long found ways to give voice to their concerns/taunts that have nothing to do with a computer. Like, for example, the billboard.

This billboard popped up in South Bend, Indiana, the other day. In case you live in a sports black hole, you’ll recognize it as impugning the lackluster coaching abilities of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. This is just the latest in a long lines of rather clever sports billboards put in strategic locations. But how does it stack up against the great sports billboards of the past? Let’s take a walk down memory lane.

Read more…

When you read “Cincinnati Bengals” and “jail” in the first sentence of a story, you start trying to construct the story in your head, like some sort of awful Mad Lib: “NAME OF PLAYER of the Cincinnati Bengals was arrested DAY and charged with CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, BAD CRIMINAL ACTIVITY and HORRIFIC CRIMINAL ACTIVITY after a SINGLE-DIGIT NUMBER crime spree that left SINGLE-DIGIT NUMBER injured.”

So imagine my surprise at reading further into this AP story and finding out that no Bengals have been arrested (yet: we’ll update you during the day). Instead, it turns out that a jail in Covington, Kentucky has decided to make their prisoners start wearing pink jumpsuits, and it’s all the Bengals’ fault. Or more specifically, their fans and their color scheme.

Read more…

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended troubled Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones for at least 4 games on Tuesday.  The move follows his alcohol-induced fight with a bodyguard on Oct. 8 in a Dallas hotel.  The suspension could last longer depending on his behavior, which we’re all sure will improve this time.

(Mr. Jones doesn’t just have issues, he has a lifetime subscription)

According to ESPN.com:

The decision on whether Jones can return to play this season will be based on his strict compliance with his NFL and Cowboys treatment plans as well as on evaluations of Jones’ progress that will be provided to Goodell by clinical experts retained by the NFL.

More after the jump. Read more…

If you were asked to name a football team that frequently gets into trouble with the law, your first response would most likely be the Cincinnati Bengals.

Yes, the Bengals have put together quite the rap sheet but the Iowa Hawkeyes are quietly putting together a resume of crime that rivals the organization that has employed the likes of Chris Henry, Frostee Rucker, Odell Thurman and Chris Henry for a second time.

Since the season started yesterday (Hawkeyes beat Maine 46-3) or because it’s Iowa and there isn’t much else to do, the DES MOINES REGISTER did some research and some math to tally up the total number of crimes their local football team has been charged with. “The Register found U of I football players have been charged with at least 22 crimes since April 2007, some racking up multiple charges.”

Read more…

It was only a week or two ago when I was watching an interview with Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on ESPN. Aside from being asked about Chad Johnson constantly, the interview also focused on the changes the Bengals were going to make with the way they treated their criminals players.

Marvin said that without a doubt, things were going to be different in Cincinnati from here on out. With Roger Goodell bringing down the hammer on any player who gets out of line, Lewis said there just wasn’t room to mess around with any players who could become a distraction.

Of course, that was before Ocho Cinco became Oucho Cinco, and now the Bengals are short at wide receiver. You’ll never guess who they’re thinking of bringing back. Here’s a hint, he’s pictured above.

Read more…

Yesterday, the highly-litigated Cincinnati Bengals took time out from their practice to welcome a true American hero onto the field: Army Sgt. Michael Garvin.

Garvin has been on two tours of Iraq, the second cut short because of a pesky IED. He’s faced down live grenades, rocket launchers and camouflaged enemy combatants, but nothing shows his amazing testicular fortitude like having the guts to name one of your own sons after a Bengal.

Read more…

Mark Heisler of the LOS ANGELES TIMES has more details today on Elton Brand’s escape to Philly. Heisler notes that the Clippers tried to offer Brand a contract of $81M, but Brand’s agent David Falk stopped returning the club’s calls. Brand eventually accepted an $82M deal from the Sixers.

Heisler surmises, as we did here last Friday, that Falk is most likely behind Brand spurning the Clippers. Keep in mind though that Heisler’s sources on the matter are likely Clippers-affiliated, and the club is presently in full damage control mode.

Not many saw the Philly move coming, but two ESPN 950 radio hosts in Philadelpia, Harry Mayes and Dan Schwartzman, browbeat Brand on-air about joining the Sixers as early as June 5 (audio).

Meanwhile, Jonathan Abrams of the Times reports that Baron Davis’ agent has confirmed his client is still hip to clip.

USA TODAY reports that NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson endorsed John McCain yesterday at the National Press Club: “I’d have to pick (John) McCain. I think our core fan base, being Republicans like they are, that will be their first choice.”

FYI: NASCAR’s home state of North Carolina is currently represented in Congress by seven Democrats and six Republicans.

(We avoided Charles Woodson’s wine stains, but not this - thankfully)

When I was at the Playboy Mansion recently, they were pouring samples of a wine called “24.” No idea what it was at the time, but now the DETROIT NEWS reports that the vino is the handiwork of noted vintner Charles Woodson.

The Chicago Bears official website has plenty of fun with the fact that when Jim McMahon visited the White House in 1996 as a member of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, he actually wore a Bears jersey.

Excerpt: “When the Packers were honored at the White House, McMahon wore a Bears jersey, enraging Green Bay fans. McMahon explained that he did it because the Bears never got a chance to visit the White House after winning Super Bowl XX. Their trip to Washington was canceled after the Challenger space shuttle blew up.”

God I miss that dude.

Paul Lukas of UNI WATCH BLOG has a bone to pick with the Brewers.

Seems he’s not too found of the club’s penchant for on-field advertising: “Can’t they leave this sh– off the field of play?“

Conveniently, that quote can also be attributed to when the Royals next visit Miller Park. Read more…

Thanks to an indecisive jury, Chris Henry is off the hook for the time being.

WKRC-TV reports that the assault case against the former Bengals receiver resulted in a mistrial on Tuesday, when jurors couldn’t agree on a verdict. Of the eight members of the jury, “they had six jurors voting for acquittal, two voting for conviction and none could be swayed.”

In addition to temporarily escaping a guilty verdict, Henry was also given a little more good news from the judge: Read more…

Chris Henry’s losing a lot of things these days - his temper, his job, his house, and now his car. What’s worse for the ex-Bengals receiver is that his auto was being taken away while he was in court.

WLWT-TV reports that Henry was in the Hamilton County Courthouse Wednesday morning, going through jury selection in his assault trial for punching a student & throwing a bottle at their car. As Chris was waiting inside, his SUV was being repossessed from the courthouse parking lot.

Read more…

Tired of talking about Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson? Let’s talk about ex-Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry!

USA TODAY passes along news from the AP that the NFL has suspended the troublesome wideout until the outcome of his latest criminal case is decided.

Read more…